1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the Internet and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN); and more specifically to combined Internet and telephony devices that are capable of integrating the Internet with the PSTN.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The Internet and the PSTN constitute discrete, independent networks from an architectural and operational perspective. Much is written about both networks, especially in terms of their architecture and operation. Consequently, the specification provided herein does not reconstruct that information other than providing general background information. The term xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d is commonly understood and used throughout the specification and claims in a conventional way. The Internet, in general, is an assemblage of interconnected routers that provide data transport services for server computers and user devicesxe2x80x94typically PCs. The interconnection between routers is provided by private line data circuits, the main lines of which constitutes the Internet xe2x80x9cbackbonexe2x80x9d. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide access to the Internet via dial up telephone lines with modems, and via dedicated arrangements such as T-1 circuits, cable modems on cable-TV systems, and DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service.
The Internet is designed according to the Internet Protocol (IP) which provides detailed specifications for the construction, addressing, and routing of data packets (occasionally referred to as xe2x80x9cmessagesxe2x80x9d in this document). (The term xe2x80x9cInternet Protocolxe2x80x9d also is used loosely to refer to dozens of related protocols that are used in the Internet.) IP addresses are expressed as a series of digits separated by xe2x80x9cdotsxe2x80x9d (periods), in the form XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX where XXX can be a number from 0 to 255. IP addresses provide a similar function on the Internet as telephone numbers provide on the PSTN. A communication with an Internet device can be established by sending a message addressed to the IP address of that device. Every device capable of communicating on the Internet has an IP address assigned to it, either permanently, or dynamically as needed. IP addresses in some environments are replaced with a proxy address; for purposes of this document, the term xe2x80x9cIP addressxe2x80x9d shall refer to an actual IP address, or a proxy or other identifier translatable into an actual IP address. In some arrangements proxies or agents act on behalf of a client system and substitute the proxy""s IP addresses for the addresses of the client devicesxe2x80x94in these arrangements the combination of the proxy address and the original client system address resolve to provide a unique IP address for each client system. Internet data packets contain the IP address of both the sending system and receiving system (the source and destination, respectively). Since IP messages always contain the IP addresses of both the sending and destination device, when a device receives an Internet message from a sending device, it will then possess the IP address of the sender and can send messages in reply. The two devices can then engage in a communication across the Internet since each has the IP address of the other.
Routers have internal tables that provide routing instructions which relate IP addresses to the available data circuits and access lines. A router functions by reading the destination address in a data packet, and then forwarding the data packet on one of its data circuits or access lines according to the rules of the routing tables. A data packet gets forwarded from one router to another, pinballing its way across the Internet until it reaches a router that is connected to the destination system.
The term xe2x80x9cPublic Switched Telephone Networkxe2x80x9d, or PSTN, as used herein means the national and international telephone network, actuated when a user dials a telephone number associated with any other phone, causes it to ring, and if answered, is enabled to carry on a voice communication (or, more properly, a xe2x80x9cvoice gradexe2x80x9d communication) with the person (or system) at the remote location. Just as the Internet is comprised of an aggregation of interconnected routers, the PSTN is comprised of an aggregation of interconnected local and long distance telephone switching systems. The local switching systems, referred to as telephone company (telco) central offices (CO), provide telephone subscriber services in a geographic area.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9ctelephone central office switching systemxe2x80x9d refers generically to a class of systems, typically owned by the operating telephone company in any given area, which provide xe2x80x9clocalxe2x80x9d telephony services to telephone subscribers in that area. Generally, the operating telephone company provides the xe2x80x9clocal loopxe2x80x9d cabling and wiring from its central office to the physical location of each of its subscribers (a xe2x80x9ctelephone circuitxe2x80x9d, or a xe2x80x9clinexe2x80x9d). A telephone central office might house several switching systems of this class, each serving up to 100,000 subscribers or more. The central office represents the hub of a wheel having thousands of spokes, each spoke being a physical pair of wires providing telephone service to a subscriber in that area. Subscribers in any given area are provided service by the central office situated in the center of the area. Outside that area the wires home to other similarly situated central offices. The telephone company connects the telephone circuit of a subscriber to an access connection on the switching system, and assigns a telephone number to that circuit. In operation, the switching system (or just xe2x80x9cswitchxe2x80x9d) provides battery voltage on the phone line, sends dial tone to the subscriber line when the subscriber""s phone goes off hook, receives the dialed digits, and then routes the call according to its internal instructions based on the called number.
Common manufactured switching systems of this class include the Lucent Technologies 5ESS, and the Nortel DMS100. All telephone central office-switching systems around the world are interconnected by xe2x80x9ctrunkxe2x80x9d circuits that carry voice or voice grade telephone calls between systems, and most (if not all) such systems are also interconnected by a messaging network referred to as CCS/SS7 (Common Control System/Signaling System 7), or just SS7. Long distance calls to telephones outside of the area served by the local telephone company are typically routed to a long distance carrier, such as ATandT, MCI, or Sprint in the USA. The telephone central office switches connect via trunking and messaging circuits to a class of switching system referred to as a xe2x80x9ctoll switchxe2x80x9d, such as the Lucent Technologies 4ESS, operated by a long distance carrier. Toll switches normally do not provide local telephone services.
In the current state of the art there are two inter-related messaging systems utilized within the PSTN. These are: (i) SS7; and (ii) ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), which incorporates a messaging system as an element of a broader product and service architecture. The SS7 messaging system extends through the major elements and systems of the PSTN, connecting virtually all of the local and long distance central offices, and carries call management (or call control) messages relating to call setup and disconnection and similar call management functions. Whereas the SS7 messaging system is oriented toward providing messaging communications among and between the PSTN switching systems, the ISDN messaging system is oriented toward extending the PSTN messaging system to the end devices such as telephones and office telephone systems. Rather than going off hook and drawing dial tone from the local central office switching system to initiate a call, as analog phones do, an ISDN phone sends a packetized digital call setup message to the switching system to initiate a call. Both the ISDN messaging system and the SS7 messaging system are based on the X.25/X.75 communications protocols. ISDN messages are carried on the SS7 messaging network. Disadvantageously, neither the SS7 nor the ISDN messaging systems carry any messages related to creating an Internet communication by one device dialing the telephone number of another.
The ISDN and SS7 messaging systems are call setup and call management (or call control) systems which carry a spectrum of messages, message responses, message acknowledgements, and the like, such as are necessary to conduct telecommunications. A full listing of all the message types that might be employed in a robust telecommunications environment has not been attempted herein, since that depth of information is not necessary to convey the essential elements of this invention. A brief listing of those message types include: (i) call setup request messages which convey dialing and associated information; (ii) busy signal messages telling the calling device to deliver a busy signal to the user; (iii) audible ring back messages telling the calling device to deliver xe2x80x9cpacifierxe2x80x9d ringing to the user; (iv) call request acceptance or rejection messages (v) call connect messages; (vi) call disconnect messages; (vii) switchhook flash messages; (viii) call transfer request messages; (ix) call conference messages; (x) call waiting messages; (xi) Caller-ID and Call Waiting-ID messages; and (xii) call forwarding messages to redirect a call to another device. In addition to these messages, a variety of other messages would be employed to indicate information like xe2x80x9cnetwork busyxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cinvalid telephone number dialedxe2x80x9d, and the like.
In an associated matter, there are now a variety of technologies that provide both Internet and PSTN connectivity. These technologies include: (i) Voice over IP (ii) DSL service; (iii) cable modem service delivered by cable-TV systems; (iv) fixed wireless systems; and (v) Internet capable cellular wireless systems.
In one aspect, the systems described herein relate to Voice over IP service. The term IP refers to the xe2x80x9cInternet Protocolxe2x80x9d, the basic protocol of the Internet, while the term Voice over IP refers to sending digitized voice across the Internet using the IP protocol. Several companies provide discount rate phone calls using xe2x80x9cVoice over IPxe2x80x9d (VOIP) technology, wherein a long distance call of a client, typically a Personal Computer (PC) user, is carried over the Internet to a VoIP interface device in the vicinity of the called party. Such VoIP technology avoids the charges associated with placing a long distance call with a traditional long distance carrier. The VoIP interface device dials a local call on the PSTN to complete the connection for the VoIP client. Hence, the call travels partially over the Internet and partially over the PSTN as an analog call. A VoIP software application at the client device digitizes the user""s voice and sends that as data messages across the Internet to the VoIP interface device. The VoIP interface device in turn converts the data messages to analog signals that are output onto the analog phone line. In the reverse direction, the VoIP interface device receives analog signals from the dialed phone and converts those analog signals to digital messages which it sends across the Internet to the VoIP client. The VoIP software at the client converts those digital messages to analog signals which are output to the user via speakers.
In another aspect, the systems described herein relate to an Internet access technology currently being deployed that is referred to as DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service. (The original acronym was ADSL, for Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line.) Although there are some variations on the technology (now generically referred to as xe2x80x9cxDSLxe2x80x9d), it essentially involves an analog telephone line supplemented by a high frequency carrier signal superimposed on the telephone line by a pair of modemsxe2x80x94one at the subscriber location, and one at the telephone company central office. The DSL carrier signal can carry high-speed data concurrently over the same phone line without interfering with the analog phone service. Other than being carried by the same physical wires, the phone line has no relationship to the DSL Internet service.
In another instance, the matter to be discussed relates to virtual phone service provided via cable TV. Cable TV service has been used to provide high-speed Internet accessxe2x80x94the popular xe2x80x9ccable modemxe2x80x9d service. In addition, there are a number of current activities related to delivering alternative provider telephone service via the cable TV distribution system. Similar to the Internet access service arrangement, the telephony service arrangement utilizes a xe2x80x9ccable modemxe2x80x9d to transmit and receive voice grade telephone calls. Other than being carried by the same physical cable, telephone service provided by cable TV has no relationship to the cable modem Internet service.
A related matter is that of virtual phone service provided by the so-called fixed wireless arrangement, currently undergoing field trials in some areas, and by the newly introduced cellular telephone service with Internet access. Although these are substantially different services from a user perspective, the wireless infrastructure is much the same.
In each of these technologies, even though they provide both Internet and PSTN connectivity, the Internet aspect is separated from the telephony aspect. Furthermore, none of these technologies enables one device to create an Internet communication with another device simply by dialing its telephone number.
Conventional communication vehicles comprise computers and telephones. Computers typically have telephone lines attached to them, and telephones oftentimes have computers attached to them; but there is no true integration that enables the blending of the Internet and the PSTN. The level of integration that is presently attained permits a computer to use a phone line to dial into the Internet. Once on the Internet, the computer can access another computer by entering its Internet Protocol (IP) address into application software such as a browser.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the manner by which today""s inferior level of integration is achieved. The Internet 10 has two kinds of devices connected to it; dialup computers, and servers attached via high speed dedicated Local Area Network (LAN) connections, as follows. Telephone company (telco) central office 12 incorporates a switching system 14 which provides telephone lines 16, some of which provide residential and business local service, such as for phones 18. Some phones 18 are associated with modems 17 and Personal Computers (PCs) 20. Other of the phone lines 16 connect to a Terminal Server device 22 provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP), which has an internal modem (not shown)for each telephone line. The Terminal Server concentrates the traffic from the dial up subscribers onto a multiplexed access line 24, commonly a T-1 line, thereby providing Internet access to these subscribers. Telco central office also has communications to other telco central offices via multiplexed messaging communications links 30. The aggregation of interconnected central office switching systems constitutes the PSTN 32 in the same fashion that an aggregation of interconnected routers constitutes the Internet. Server computers 28 reside on a LAN 26, also having a multiplexed access line connection 24 to the Internet.
Operationally, user computers 20, via attached or internal modem 17 seize associated telephone line 16 and dial the telephone number assigned to them by their ISP, and thus ring the phone line 16 connected to Terminal Server 22. An internal modem in Terminal Server 22 answers the phone call, and via a protocol exchange, creates a logical link for computer 20 to access the Internet 10. The user, by entering the IP address of a server 28 into a software application like a browser, is then able to connect via the Internet to that server to access whatever services it has to offer.
However, a user might know the telephone number of an organization (a local pizza shop, for example), and not know their Internet address. It would therefore be advantageous to be able to dial that phone number and connect to that organization""s Internet service via the Internet. Unfortunately, there is no condition under which a computer 20 could create an Internet connection to a server 28 by dialing a phone number. For example, let""s assume that a server 28 has a telephone line connection 16 to the PSTN 32, and assume that it offers a direct dial-in service via telephone line 16. By dialing the telephone number associated with telephone line 16, the user computer 20 would be directly connected to the server, and not connected to the Internet. By comparison, if user computer 20 dialed into the ISP connection as previously described, from that single connection the user computer could create and maintain very many simultaneous connections with servers around the world, taking advantage of the hyperlinking that can bounce a connection from one server or service to another. Each such connection is established directly between the user computer 20 and the remote server, without there being a server computer in the middle. But if user computer 20 dialed directly into server 28, the only way that user computer 20 could access the Internet would be by using the server 28 as a gateway. Even still, Internet servers are not designed to provide this kind of direct dial-in service, as it defeats in large measure many of the advantages that Internet connections offer.
In addition, it would be desirable for a user computer such as 20 to be able to dial the phone number of an organization such as a local pizza shop and thereby be able to conduct voice, data, audio, and video communications with them over the Internet. That capability does not exist in the prior art.
In view of the aforenoted communication deficiencies, there remains a need in the art for a method and means for accessing Internet services, and conducting voice, data, audio, and video communications, via the Internet, by dialing a telephone number.
The present invention provides a method and means for enabling an Integrated Device to access Internet services and conduct voice, data, audio, and video communications with another device, system, or service, over the Internet, by dialing the telephone number of that other device, system, or service. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cdevicexe2x80x9d includes systems, services, appliances, and similar apparatus useable for these purposes. For example, Integrated Devices include Internet capable wireless cellular handsets.
The Integrated Devices described herein are especially suited for use with the method and means described in my co-pending application entitled xe2x80x9cIntegrating the Internet with the Public Switched Telephone Networkxe2x80x9d, Docket No. 0054-4, filed of even date herewith, and augment that invention by describing the characteristics of devices optimized to facilitate integration of the Internet with the PSTN.
Devices for integrating the Internet with the PSTN (xe2x80x9cIntegrated Devicesxe2x80x9d) have both an Internet connection and a telephone number. The Internet connection is associated with an IP address. In some arrangements, such as over cable-TV systems and wireless systems, the IP address may be indirectly associated with the Integrated Device. For example, in a wireless handset arrangement, the provider""s complex might provide Internet connections for wireless handsets on a proxy basis wherein the complex keeps track of IP number assignments used for each handset, but communicates with each handset based on a serial number or other unique identifying scheme. The same goal is accomplished, i.e. an Internet capable handset gets its own IP address, but with one level of indirection.
Integrated Devices have a telephone number and telephone (PSTN) connectivity, but not necessarily a standard telephone line as a number of techniques have been developed to provide virtualized telephone lines. Integrated Devices may have a direct connection to the PSTN such as by being directly connected to the serving telco Central Office, or may have an indirect connection such as by being connected to an intermediate device such as a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) which, in turn, is connected to the serving Central Office.
Beyond basic telephone connectivity to the PSTN, Integrated Devices have a digital messaging capability to the PSTN. The PSTN utilizes a digital messaging system called SS7 to carry call control related messages between telephone switching systems; in addition, the telecommunications technology ISDN provides a digital messaging capability for carrying similar call control messages between telephone systems and devices. The digital messages of ISDN include call setup messages which carry the calling and called telephone numbers to establish a call, messages to initiate and stop ringing at the called device, call tear-down messages, and so on. The messaging communications capability of Integrated Devices might therefore use or be based upon one of these existing technologies. The purpose of the messaging is to provide calling and called Integrated Devices adequate information to conduct a communication between themselves over the Internet when that communication was started by one device calling the telephone number of the other device.
Messages sent on the Internet using the Internet Protocol incorporate the IP address of both the sender and the receiver (the source and the destination) in every message (called a xe2x80x9cpacketxe2x80x9d). Thus, when one device initiates an Internet communication to another device by sending an Internet message to that other device, the receiver automatically learns the IP address of the sender, and a two-way communication can commence.
An Integrated Device can connect to another Integrated Device by dialing the associated telephone number on the PSTN. Similarly, an Integrated Device can communicate with another Integrated Device over the Internet by sending an Internet data message addressed to the IP address of the other Integrated Device. The Integrated Device has the ability to send and receive digital messages from both the Internet and the PSTN carrying call setup, telephone number, and IP address information. And, it incorporates software, firmware, or other operational logic to perform the integration functions.
The integration functions include the ability to dial a phone number on the PSTN, receive a digital message from the PSTN as to how to conduct the requested connection over the Internet, and then to perform whatever processes are necessary to establish that Internet connection. Some calls will be directed to analog devices not capable of an integrated Internet/telephony communicationxe2x80x94in that situation, the Integrated Device functions compatibly with the analog aspects of the PSTN.
In the reverse direction, an Integrated Device that receives a call setup message responds accordingly in establishing an Internet connectionxe2x80x94both the calling and called Integrated Devices work cooperatively in this process. Once an Internet connection is established with another Integrated Device, the devices may elect to conduct any part of their communication over the Internet, or over the telephone line. In some applications it might be best to conduct all of the communications over the Internet and abandon the PSTN portion of the connection; in other applications it might be desirable to maintain the PSTN connection, perhaps for voice purposes, and conduct the remaining communications over the Internet. The devices could also determine to abandon the Internet portion of the connection and continue in another mode, such as by communicating entirely over the PSTN.
Call handling resources of an Integrated Device include physical or virtual line appearance buttons, the number of simultaneous calls to be accepted by the device, and the bandwidth available to communications. These parameters may be determined by physical constraints of the device, or may be configurable by the user or system provider. The messaging system of Integrated Devices extends across the Internet, or across any other medium such as a wireless arrangement, between the calling and called devices, and extends on the PSTN between the device and the local serving central office switch. Specifically, this invention provides the capability for an Integrated Device having both an Internet connection and a PSTN connection to convey messages across both media appropriate to place and receive calls and manage its own call-handling resources. Messages received by Integrated Devices from calling devices on either the Internet or the PSTN include call setup request messages, Caller-ID messages, Call Waiting messages, and Call Waiting-ID messages, among others. Response messages from the called Integrated Device include accepting calls, rejecting calls due to a busy condition, forwarding calls to another number or device, and the like.
In further defining an Integrated Device, one can imagine that various applications would determine its full characteristics. For example, let""s assume that the pizza shop was only interested in receiving integrated Internet/telephony calls, and does not wish to use their Integrated Device for calling other Integrated Devices with the intent of creating an Internet connection. In this application, there may be no need for the pizza shop Integrated Device to have a display screen. A residential user, however, wishing to call the pizza shop and create an Internet connection would want a multimedia terminal, including a display screen, speakers, and microphone.
In another variation, an Integrated Access Device could be achieved by application software running on a PC that has only an Internet connection wherein the PC is used for calling to create an Internet connection, but could not be called to create an Internet connection. For example, office PCs on a LAN with access to the Internet, but not having individual phone lines, might have this arrangement.
From a general design perspective, there already exists a worldwide implementation of ISDN systems (Integrated Services Digital Network), which incorporate a PSTN and a peer-to-peer messaging capability that would be suitable for the messaging requirements of the Integrated Devices. Therefore, Integrated Devices would be advantageously designed if compatible with ISDN in that they could more readily communicate with ISDN systems, and ISDN systems may require less modification to incorporate Integrated Device capability.
There also exist a variety of DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) services which provide a subscriber""s system with digital communications capability. DSL connectivity is typically arranged with an ATM (Asynchronous Transport Mode) lower layer protocol conveying Ethernet or IP data traffic. Such an arrangement would be suitable for the digital messaging requirements of the Integrated Devices.
In addition, there is a simplistic messaging technology that has found modest success, referred to as ADSI (Analog Display Screen Interface), which is an outgrowth of Caller ID. ADSI provides 1200 bit per second modem communications messaging between a telephone central office and an analog ADSI phone, or between two ADSI phones, one acting as a server. The messaging is interruptive, in that modem connections use the voice frequency band and so, at any moment, an analog telephone line can carry either a voice conversation or an ADSI modem connection, but not both. The data rate is also very slow, and so has limited applications. Nevertheless, since Caller-ID, Call Waiting ID, and some other services have been implemented using ADSI, it would be advantageous for Integrated Devices to be compatible with ADSI. The utility might be limited, but might be suitable for some purposes, products, price ranges, and the like.
This invention, then, provides Integrated Devices which integrate the Internet and the PSTN by creating Internet connections by dialing a telephone number on the PSTN.